You’ve probably seen the term thrown around a bit over the last couple of days, but you won’t be the only one confused over what it actually means. Whether it’s meant negatively or not, we answer what is the meaning of a nepotism baby and some real-life examples.
Since Vulture reported on Hollywood’s nepotism babies, people have been coming to their defence, checking their privilege or just plain confused about it all. If you’re the latter, you’re definitely not alone. Whilst some celebrities think the term is negative, we can simply tell you what it means.
What Is A Nepotism Baby?
Looking to Cambridge Dictionary, nepotism is defined as “the act of using your own power or influence to get good jobs or unfair advantages for members of your own family.”
So, a nepotism baby is a child of powerful or influential parents who has used that connection to their advantage. Specifically, when looking at the discourse around nepo babies over the last couple of days, we’re speaking about children of celebrity couples who have gone on to fame themselves.
The term is almost always used in a negative way. It’s used to highlight the privilege and ‘leg-up’ people have had because of their parents. However, that is quite dismissive of the hard work and genuine talent. After all, these celebrities can’t help who their parents are. That being said, if you are a nepotism baby then you always have to be aware of your privileged roots — no matter if you’re fond of their connection or not.
It’s a tightrope to walk. On one hand, these people should be proud of their achievements where genuine talent is involved. However, you would always be second-guessing whether your career was down to talent, or because of your famous parents. That’s not to say that being a nepotism baby makes your life harder by any means. But self-doubt is something to consider.
Examples Of Hollywood’s Nepo Babies
If you’re needing some real-life examples to fully understand know the meaning of a nepotism baby, we’ve got you covered. However, these are just examples of celebrities with famous parents, not necessarily people who have abused that connection.
Maya Hawke
We all love her from Stranger Things. But it is quite hard to miss that she is Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman’s daughter. From any angle, she looks like the spitting image of both her parents. In her case, both her mother and father are (very) famous actors and she has followed in the same direction.
Jaden And Willow Smith
They’ve both gone on to become singers and actors and both started from a young age. The children of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith have also dove headfirst into the fashion industry. It seems like there’s nothing that the next generation of Smiths can do. Jaden and Will have even starred together in After Earth, so clearly they have their parents’ approval.
Lily Collins
This one may be a little unknown for some, but Lily Collins is the daughter of singer Phil Collins. Definitely famous in her own right, Lily has launched a separate career from what her father is famous for. Known for Emily in Paris and Love Rosie, she was also the star of the Mortal Instruments when it was intended to be a movie franchise.